Moderating 201--Advanced

Announce before the panel begins when questions will be permitted and that comments are not encouraged.

Give the panelists a time limit (or at least a general idea) and interrupt if they go over with a gentle nod or touch of the shoulder (or yanking the microphone away, if necessary).

If someone seems to be mentally ill on the panel, find a way to gently redirect that panelist or to suggest that the panel focus on something else.

Bite your tongue if a panelist says something that is ridiculous or offensive. When you get the microphone back, you have a chance to put it in context.

When someone continually hogs the microphone even after having his own chance to answer a question, make a joke out of it, but don't let it pass unnoticed.

If you feel that panelists are not answering your question, do NOT insist that they try again, as if you are an elementary school teacher. Move on to another question.

Check to see who is on your panel before you enter the room. Consider carefully who should sit next to each other and how to create that seating arrangement by going early.

Practice gritting your teeth if someone has no qualifications to be on the panel and insists on blathering on anyway.

Make sure that someone else is assigned to announce time limits for the end of the panel. Consider setting a time limit for each question asked and answered.

Remember that although you are the moderator, no one will blame you for what goes wrong on the panel—even if it is your fault. The audience is often completely unaware of the moderator. Conversely, you will rarely get credit for a panel going right, either.